Abdul Alim :
The Dhaka Water Supply & Sewerage Authority (DWASA) and two city corporations have failed to remove water logging despite billions of fund spent for the drainage system.
The DWASA is the main authority to remove water logging in the city. The Dhaka’s two city corporations render services directly to resolve rainwater.
The most of the areas in the capital were inundated in 47 millimeter rain on Tuesday (October 1) afternoon.
Existing drains are unable to discharge rainwater swiftly as the most of the drainage canals are connected to have been grappled by land grabbers.
According to experts, the funds are not being spent in a proper planned manner to resolve water logging.
They said, the city dwellers won’t be freed from water logging unless DWASA and two city corporations work in coordination.
This drains are not sufficient for the dense mega city, and these existing drains are unable to discharge rainwater swiftly as the 26 drainage canals are connected to have been encroached by land grabbers.
Two city corporations have about 18 km of surface ditches. There are about 4.5 km of box culverts. Underground pipelines of the city corporations are connected to deep drains of WASA.
Two city corporations have spent Tk 16.86 billion to make deep drains for the drainage system over the last 10 years.
DSCC has spent Tk 6.73 billion and DNCC has spent Tk 4.40 billion, according to records of different projects and officials.
But the problem has not been resolved. Water logging is a prolonged problem, as the capital
is inundated in some millimeter rain.
Dhaka South City Corporation (DSCC) Additional Chief Engineer Asaduzzaman said, “DWASA’s drainage capacity and pumps are very weak as the water is getting stuck.”
“WASA is mainly responsible to remove rain water. But two city corporations also work for the development of the drainage system of the city he added.
However, DWASA has spent Tk 450 million over the last 15 months to prevent water logging in the capital following heavy rainfall, according to official records.
DWASA has spent a total of Tk 5.23 billion in ten years (July 2009 to September 2019).
The organisation has spent Tk 3.38 billion for three pump stations to facilitate the drainage system, but the problems have simply worsened.
WASA official said, solid garbage causes water logging in the cities. And it is the duty of City Corporation to manage the solid garbage.
WASA engineers think the drainage system is being hampered as these deep drains are blocked. They said this is the main reason that water does not recede fast if it rains.
Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology (BUET) professor A K M Saiful Islam said, “The drainage system has broken down. To resolve water logging, the drainage network needs to be always kept clear. This work needs to be done jointly. Unless the concerned agencies cooperate, problem will not be solved.”
He said, DWASA’s have three pump stations at Rampura, Kalyanpur and Gopibagh. Besides, Bangladesh Water Development Board has a pump station at Chatbari area of Goran.
These stations work to carry the water to the canals and rivers. But they are not cooperate there works, Saiful Islam added.
The Dhaka Water Supply & Sewerage Authority (DWASA) and two city corporations have failed to remove water logging despite billions of fund spent for the drainage system.
The DWASA is the main authority to remove water logging in the city. The Dhaka’s two city corporations render services directly to resolve rainwater.
The most of the areas in the capital were inundated in 47 millimeter rain on Tuesday (October 1) afternoon.
Existing drains are unable to discharge rainwater swiftly as the most of the drainage canals are connected to have been grappled by land grabbers.
According to experts, the funds are not being spent in a proper planned manner to resolve water logging.
They said, the city dwellers won’t be freed from water logging unless DWASA and two city corporations work in coordination.
This drains are not sufficient for the dense mega city, and these existing drains are unable to discharge rainwater swiftly as the 26 drainage canals are connected to have been encroached by land grabbers.
Two city corporations have about 18 km of surface ditches. There are about 4.5 km of box culverts. Underground pipelines of the city corporations are connected to deep drains of WASA.
Two city corporations have spent Tk 16.86 billion to make deep drains for the drainage system over the last 10 years.
DSCC has spent Tk 6.73 billion and DNCC has spent Tk 4.40 billion, according to records of different projects and officials.
But the problem has not been resolved. Water logging is a prolonged problem, as the capital
is inundated in some millimeter rain.
Dhaka South City Corporation (DSCC) Additional Chief Engineer Asaduzzaman said, “DWASA’s drainage capacity and pumps are very weak as the water is getting stuck.”
“WASA is mainly responsible to remove rain water. But two city corporations also work for the development of the drainage system of the city he added.
However, DWASA has spent Tk 450 million over the last 15 months to prevent water logging in the capital following heavy rainfall, according to official records.
DWASA has spent a total of Tk 5.23 billion in ten years (July 2009 to September 2019).
The organisation has spent Tk 3.38 billion for three pump stations to facilitate the drainage system, but the problems have simply worsened.
WASA official said, solid garbage causes water logging in the cities. And it is the duty of City Corporation to manage the solid garbage.
WASA engineers think the drainage system is being hampered as these deep drains are blocked. They said this is the main reason that water does not recede fast if it rains.
Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology (BUET) professor A K M Saiful Islam said, “The drainage system has broken down. To resolve water logging, the drainage network needs to be always kept clear. This work needs to be done jointly. Unless the concerned agencies cooperate, problem will not be solved.”
He said, DWASA’s have three pump stations at Rampura, Kalyanpur and Gopibagh. Besides, Bangladesh Water Development Board has a pump station at Chatbari area of Goran.
These stations work to carry the water to the canals and rivers. But they are not cooperate there works, Saiful Islam added.
